Astronomy picture of the day 24-09-2014 - The Lagoon Nebula in Stars Dust and Gas

The Lagoon Nebula in Stars Dust and Gas
Image Credit & Copyright: Remus Chua(Celestial Portraits)

Explanation: The large majesticLagoon Nebulais home for many young stars and hot gas. Spanning 100 light years across while lying only about 5000 light years distant, theLagoon Nebula is so big and bright that it can beseen without atelescope toward theconstellation ofSagittarius. Many bright stars are visible fromNGC 6530, anopen cluster that formed in the nebula only several million years ago. The greater nebula, also known asM8 and NGC 6523, is named "Lagoon" for the band of dust seen to the left of the open cluster's center. A bright knot of gas and dust in thenebula's center is known as theHourglass Nebula. The featured picture is a newly processed panorama ofM8, capturing five times the diameter of the Moon. Star formation continues in theLagoon Nebula as witnessed by the manyglobules that exist there.